Workplace violence targeting student nurses in the clinical areas

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Workplace violence in health care is a worldwide phenomenon. In nursing, the
nature of workplace violence is predominantly non-physical in nature. Literature
reveals the devastating consequences for the individual nurse, both physically and /
or emotionally, depending on the nature of the violence. The consequences for the
organisation / institution and the profession are equally devastating, manifesting in
reduced standards of patient care and increased attrition from the profession. The
pervasiveness of this problem indicates that to date, remedial and protective
measures have been unsuccessful.
However, most of the research done on workplace violence in nursing has been
conducted amongst qualified nurses. The purpose of this study was to investigate
the extent of workplace violence, targeting student nurses in clinical areas. The
setting was the Western Cape College of Nursing and the population was second,
third and fourth-year, pre-registration students. The research objectives addressed
various aspects, for example, type, prevalence, perpetrators, consequences and
management of workplace violence.
A quantitative research design, utilising a survey, was chosen for the study. A
probability sample of n = 255 students was selected, using stratified, random
sampling as the sampling method. The variables selected for stratification were
gender and year of study. A self reported, anonymous questionnaire, guided by the
literature review and by the research objectives, was utilised for data generation.
Summary statistics were used to describe the variables, whilst distributions of
variables were presented in the form of histograms and frequency tables. Where
appropriate, the relationships between demographic and research variables were
described, using suitable statistical analyses.
The findings revealed that the perpetration of non-physical violence against student
nurses is widespread, particularly that perpetrated by co-workers, more specifically
registered, staff- and assistant nurses. The under reporting of workplace violence
was a common finding.
Student nurses suffer grave emotional consequences as a result of workplace
violence. Almost half of the respondents admitted that they had considered leaving nursing due to workplace violence and that it had negatively affected their standard
of patient care. The overall conclusion was that, in accordance with a worldwide
trend amongst all categories of nurses, student nurses are targets of workplace
violence in the clinical areas.
These findings have particular implications for the management of nursing education
institutions. The fact that student nurses are targeted to the extent revealed in this
study indicates that existing preventive measures in the clinical areas have not been
effective. The recommendations arising from this study therefore focus on equipping
the vulnerable trainee with the tools to withstand workplace violence. As such, the
recommendations are directed at the management of the nursing education
institution, to create awareness around the problem, to empower students to confront
and cope with workplace violence and to support students traumatised by workplace
violence.
Finally, this study suggests avenues for further research, for example, research in
the same setting after implementation of the recommendations, or further research
into the dynamics of workplace violence, targeting student nurses from the
perspective of qualified nursing staff or patients.